XN000022-1993-07-20 — Page 13

TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1993

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GOVERNMENT'S STRATEGIC PLANS MUST ENSURE THAT HONG KONG HAD THE PHYSICAL INFRASTURCTURE NECESSARY FOR THE PROVISION OF ALL THE SERVICES MENTIONED, HE SAID.

"THE PORT AND AIRPORT ARE OBVIOUS EXAMPLES, AS ARE ROADS AND RAILWAYS. SO TOO ARE WATER, GAS AND ELECTRICITY AND OF COURSE COMMUNICATIONS. LESS OBVIOUS ARE THE SOFT INFRASTRUCTURE OF EDUCATION AND MODERN SOCIAL SERVICES.

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MR MILLER NOTED THAT TRAFFIC THROUGH THE PORT WAS GROWING AT 20 PER CENT A YEAR AND THAT 38 MILLION-PLUS PASSENGER MOVEMENTS ARRIVED AND DEPARTED BY AIR AND SEA IN 1992.

"ON THE TRADE FRONT, WE NEED CONSTANTLY TO BE ALERT ΤΟ ANY ACTION WHICH THREATENS OUR ACCESS TO FOREIGN MARKETS, OR DISADVANTAGES OUR TRADERS, INCLUDING THE FORMATION OF EXCLUSIVE TRADE BLOCS."

MR MILLER CALLED ON THOSE PRESENT TO IGNORE THE TALK ABOUT REGIONAL FREE TRADE GROUPINGS.

MULTILATERAL

TRADE

"THEY ARE VERY MUCH A SECOND BEST TO THE SYSTEM UNDER THE GATT, IN WHICH ALL ARE EQUAL AND SHARE EQUALLY IN THE BENEFITS OF TRADE LIBERALISATION,"

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"THE CURRENT ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS. THE "URUGUAY ROUND" IS THE MOST AMBITIOUS EVER ATTEMPTED. IT IS ALSO PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT то HONG KONG, IN VIEW OF THE CHANGED SHAPE OF OUR ECONOMY, BECAUSE TRADE IN SERVICES IS TO BE BROUGHT UNDER THE SAME DISCIPLINES.

"OVER THE COMING MONTHS, MY COLLEAGUES AND I WILL BE STRIVING ΤΟ ENSURE THAT THE FINAL PACKAGE NOT ONLY REDUCES TARIFFS AND THEREFORE BOOSTS TRADE IN GOODS, BUT ALSO SECURES ACCESS FOR OUR INCREASINGLY ACTIVE SERVICES INDUSTRY, HE SAID.

"

MR MILLER WILL BE ATTENDING A GATT MEETING IN GENEVA NEXT WEEK.

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RESCUE PROJECTS UNEARTH VALUABLE ARTEFACTS

THROUGH LARGE-SCALE

RESCUE

ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS OFFICE

EXCAVATIONS SINCE 1990 BY THE (AMO), A LARGE QUANTITY OF INTERESTING ARTEFACTS HAVE COME TO LIGHT. ENHANCING PEOPLE'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRE-HISTORY AND EARLY HISTORY OF HONG KONG.

CULTURE,

THE REMARK WAS MADE BY SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND MR JAMES 50, TODAY (TUESDAY) AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ON RCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION AT YUNG LONG IN TUEN MUN.

OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS HELPED ONE UNDERSTAND TIMES IN THE NORTHERN

MR SO SAID THE LARGE QUANTITY UNEARTHED WERE EXAMPLES OF HOW SUCH ARTEFACTS THE LIFE OF ANCIENT SETTLERS IN PRE-HISTORIC PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

/ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS